


nothing's ever gonna bring us down

by shrdmdnssftw



Series: 1D Drabbles [5]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-19
Updated: 2012-11-19
Packaged: 2017-11-19 01:05:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/567297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shrdmdnssftw/pseuds/shrdmdnssftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An OT5 cuddlepile, pre-MSG show.</p><p>Written for <a href="http://shrdmdnssftw.tumblr.com/post/36037518909">a prompt</a> on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	nothing's ever gonna bring us down

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hostagesfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hostagesfic/gifts).



Louis' the first one to notice, of course. He always is - in tune with the others boys from pretty much day one, even when he's working against their moods. The others tend to notice, eventually, but today even Liam's too wrapped up in his own world to see how much this is grating on Niall.

He's been picking at his thumb for ages, gnawing on his skin in a nervous habit too ingrained to even be deterred by braces, and between all that, pacing the green room as they wait to go on stage. 

This is their moment, over two years of work building up to their first big show. And every moment from the last few years had felt big, the Today Show, then SNL, then touring Australia and Europe again, but this-

This is thousands upon thousands of people, chanting their names and waiting for them. This is thousands of dollars worth of production value and songs created to play to thousands of teenagers' hearts and sometimes Louis forgets that they are, mostly, still teenagers themselves.

The main thing is that he notices, and when Niall passes him, intent on wearing a path through the room's carpet, he pulls Niall in, making him land with a thump in his lap.

Niall makes a grumbly whine, like he's annoyed, but Louis can tell that it's his nerves pulling him in, making him feel small even in Louis' arms. He coaxes Niall into a hug then, wraps his arms around his narrow torso and nuzzles his head against Niall's neck. It's enough to calm Niall down some, and he stops huffing when Louis starts stroking his hand soothingly down Niall's side. 

He used to do this for his little sisters, when they'd get too worked up over a fight and Niall'd kill him if he knew, but Louis figures it works all the same. He relaxes into Louis touch with a sigh, and Liam's head pokes up at that, eyes finally breaking away from his twitter feed to figure out what's going on around him.

"Are we doing this again, then?" he asks and Louis lifts his head from where it's resting on Niall's shoulder to raise an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with a good cuddle?" Louis replies and he hugs Niall even tighter, as if to prove his point.

Liam chuckles, and gets up from the opposite couch, fitting himself beside Louis and wrapping his arms around the two of them. "Nothing, of course," he says and Louis feels fingers tickle his side, making him laugh.

The movement makes Niall shift off of his lap, more beside him than on top now, and Louis moves his arms so he's got one wrapped around each of the boys. He starts tapping out a nervous pattern on Liam's shoulder but then Liam turns around and bites not-so-gently into Louis' arm. 

"Oi, none of that where us kids can see," Zayn complains but Niall just tuts.

"Just 'cause you're jealous," but it's said with a laugh, and he reaches out to Zayn, invites him to join their little group on the couch. He collapses onto the three of them, his head landing on Liam's lap, and torso on Louis', and it's nice, but still not quite complete.

"Why's it always me who misses out?" Harry whines then from the doorway, obviously just back from catering with a water bottle in his hand. "Lemme join in."

And it's a free for all, Harry making a run-up to tackle them all onto the couch, his weight pressing them down and grounding them in the moment. And it's enough, it is. Enough to settles their nerves, to hold them firm and say that even if they might feel like falling apart, they've got the others to keep it together.

To keep them together.


End file.
